While Israel’s history of unprovoked attacks and human rights abuses is not news to most, it is nonetheless something which is rarely reported through news channels here in the US, and in Europe. However, now we have a circumstance which is perhaps even more compelling than Israel’s attack on the USS Cole. Why? Because it is not merely the report of one, or even a few reporters, it is a comprehensive report from the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights(the PDF can be found here). A few articles have appeared in international newspapers(London Guardian) certain web resources, such as the Salon and Huffington Post. As noted in the report:

The force used by the Israeli military “was unnecessary, disproportionate, excessive and inappropriate and resulted in the wholly avoidable killing and maiming of a large number of civilian passengers”; that “at least six of the killings can be characterized as extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions”

It also adds that Furkan Dogan, a US citizen, was one of those killed by Israelis. It’s important to keep in mind that this was a peaceful flotilla of boats trying to bring aid to the people of Gaza. Israel violated numerous international human rights conventions, including the Fourth Geneva Conventions (see p. 38, paragraph 172 of the report).

In the Salon article, Glenn Greenwald notes:

The U.N. investigators interviewed 112 witnesses and consulted with numerous forensic and medical experts, while Israel refused to speak with its investigators (though Israeli officials are cooperating with a separate group investigating the attack).

Read the UN report, peruse the other articles, and see if you come to the same conclusion that the acts of the Israeli military include not only murder, but constitute war crimes, as defined by the UN. Perhaps now, finally, the free pass & blind eye Israel has enjoyed for so many years will finally cease to be a factor in Middle East, US & global politics. Certainly it is clear for the people to see, especially when you look at the response of the people of Israel’s allies, such as Turkey.